Agents of Delta Quadrant
by Skye Coulson
Summary: AoSxST:V Crossover. My first attempt a Star Trek fanfiction. Chakotay fails to revive Kathryn after the crash in Coda and SHIELD offers to bring her back. Time travelling teleportation on Gordon's part allows Chakotay and Kathryn to meet Phil Coulson
1. When We Stand Together

**Agents of the Delta Quadrant**

 **Disclaimer:  
** As always, I own nothing.

 **Rating:  
** T

 **Genre:  
** Romance/Angst

 **Pairings:  
** Coulsye(?)  
JC (Janeway/Chakotay)

 **Lyrics Used:  
** Nickelback "When We Stand Together"  
Hayden Panettiere "Disappear"

* * *

When We Stand Together

* * *

 _Hey, yeah yeah, hey, yeah | We must stand together | Hey, yeah yeah, hey, yeah | There's no giving in | Hey, yeah yeah, hey, yeah | Hand in hand forever | Hey, yeah yeah, hey, yeah | That's when we all win | Hey, yeah yeah, hey, yeah | That's, that's, that's when we all win | That's, that's, that's, when we all win_

* * *

The knock on the door, scarcely registered in the Director's mind as he absently replied "Enter." He didn't care to turn to see where who was entering his office. He hadn't been able to think about much other than Skye since the almost-war with the Inhumans. Though, he guessed he couldn't blame her for wanting to stay in Afterlife. From what he'd told her of it, it sounded wonderful. And, strategically speaking, it was a good idea for them to send an ambassador of sorts to Afterlife to try to make peace with the Inhumans – to show them they meant no harm and only indexed them to protect them. He just wished it didn't have to be her. Though, logically, he knew she was the only choice.

"Director Coulson." Gordon greeted, carefully. S.H.I.E.L.D. agents weren't the only ones that had noticed their Director's melancholy state ever since Skye had left for Afterlife to straighten things out with the Inhumans. He suspected he knew why the Director had been feeling that way. And, he was here to put that theory to the test. Though, he couldn't deny his anxiety. He hadn't teleported since he'd been injured in the battle and – while he knew his physical injuries had healed – he wasn't as sure about his teleportation abilities. This was his first test of them and he prayed to whatever deity had been listening that they had healed as well.

"Gordon." Coulson finally turned to face his visitor – his greeting laced with surprise. "I would have thought you would have returned to Afterlife after you'd healed." He added, curious as to why the teleporter was still here. Though, he was even more curious as to why he was in his office.

"I wanted to see you before I left." Gordon replied, carefully. "I've noticed how melancholy you've been since Skye left …" He added, listening intently for any indication that he might be overstepping his bound and upsetting the Director. "I was wondering if you'd like to join me when I return to Afterlife."

That intrigued the Director. "Why would you invite me to go with you?" He inquired, curiously.

"Based on what I've gathered, you and Skye share a very close relationship." Gordon offered, by way of explanation. "She speaks very highly of you. And, she misses you while in Afterlife. I'm sure she would appreciate seeing you." He elaborated, further.

Phil had to admit … The idea of seeing Skye again was nearly irresistible. But, he also recalled how unwelcome S.H.I.E.L.D. had been made to feel the last time they were there. "Are you sure the other Inhumans would be as welcoming?" He questioned, curiously.

"With Jiaying out of the picture, the Inhumans are searching for a new leader." Gordon replied. "I doubt anyone they choose will want to follow in any leadership precedents she set." He added. "Why don't you join me and find out for yourself?"

His sentimental side won out – much as he knew it would – as the need to see Skye again overpowered his better judgment. "All right." He replied, finally, crossing the room to stand at Gordon's side.

Curling himself around the Director, Gordon said a silent prayer that this would work as he attempted to teleport them to Afterlife. Coulson braced himself as the energy surrounded them, racing them through space and time until they finally came to a landing. Once the energy surrounding them had died away, Coulson and Gordon righted themselves as they took in their surroundings. "Shit." Gordon breathed, to himself, realizing that his teleportation powers had malfunctioned.

Looking around them, Phil recognized their surroundings as a S.H.I.E.L.D. base. Though, it wasn't his own. This one looked far more technologically advanced. It appeared to be centuries ahead of his own base. "Uh … Gordon … I hate to question the teleportation expert … But, this doesn't look like Afterlife. … Where the hell are we?"

"This … can sometimes happen." Gordon replied, carefully, surveying the area. "Sometimes, after a battle, injuries can affect my ability. It would appear that we've been transported into the future."

"Goody!" Coulson replied, sarcastically. Before another word could be uttered, however, a middle-aged man in a strange suit approached them.

"State your names and your business here." The man ordered, briskly.

"My name is Phil Coulson, Director of the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division. S.H.I.E.L.D. for short."

"Impossible." The strange man barked. "My name is Carlisle Walker. And, _I_ am the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D." He added, crisply.

"Perhaps I can explain." Gordon interjected. "My name is Gordon and my friend and I were accidentally teleported here when previous injuries caused my teleportation abilities to fail. Mr. Coulson is the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the twenty-first century." He offered, by way of explanation.

"Phil Coulson." Director Walker repeated, processing what he was hearing. He'd heard of a Phillip Coulson. "I've heard of you." He added. "Your death caused the Avengers to win the war against Loki and the Chitauri back in the twenty-first century." He continued, his voice awestruck. "You were brought back using an earlier version of the T.A.H.I.T.I. protocol." Dropping his head momentarily, Director Walker returned his gaze to the previous S.H.I.E.L.D. director. "I'm terribly sorry for what you were put through."

"Thanks. For that." Phil replied.

"Is there anything I can do to help you?" Director Carlisle offered before his comm link on his chest buzzed to life.

 _"Base to Director Walker."_ The comm link blared. Tapping the comm link on his chest, Director Walker replied. "Go ahead." He replied, crisply.

 _"We're picking up a distress signal from one of the shuttles on the Federation's starship_ Voyager _."_ The comm link replied. _"The shuttle appears to have been caught in a magnetic storm and crashed."_

"Are there any injuries?" Carlisle asked.

 _"Captain Janeway was unconscious. We lost contact after that."_ The comm link replied. _"We can't get any lifesigns and our transporter bays are offline."_ The comm link added.

"Thank you. Director Walker out." Carlisle replied, tapping the comm link off. "Damn it." Carlisle cursed, quietly, before returning his attention to the two men before him. "As I'm sure you're unaware, S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Federation have created an alliance, in this century, to help them get their starship, _Voyager_ , back home. They're currently trapped in the Delta Quadrant."

"'Delta Quadrant'?" Coulson repeated, curiously.

"In our time, the universe has been broken down into quadrants." Walker offered, attempting to provide some form of explanation. "We are currently in the Alpha Quadrant." He added. " _Voyager_ is trapped in another, distant, part of space known as Delta Quadrant. S.H.I.E.L.D. has been working to develop a plan of action to help them return, here, to Earth."

"In that case, why don't you allow us to help you." Coulson offered, before gesturing to Gordon. "Gordon's a teleporter. Maybe he can help us get to the crashed ship and help the crew members."

"Is that true?" Director Walker questioned, focusing on Gordon. "Can you teleport us to the ship's crash site?"

"I can try." Gordon offered, weakly. "But, my people and I have just finished a war – a war with S.H.I.E.L.D. – where I was injured." Taking in the look on Walker's face, he added. "Don't worry! S.H.I.E.L.D. and my people have now become unlikely allies. But, the battle left me wounded and those wounds appear to be affecting my teleportation abilities. "I was trying to take Director Coulson, here, to my own home in my own time when we were stranded here." He elaborated. "I can try to get us to your ship, but, my teleportation seems to be completely randomized."

Carlisle appeared to be considering what Gordon was telling him. "I understand your concerns, Mr. Gordon." He offered, gently. "But, I have a responsibility to those crew members and I intend to honor that responsibility." He added, his voice notably firmer. "And, I need your help to do that."

"I'll do what I can." Gordon affirmed. "Are you ready?" He asked.

"Ready whenever you are." Director Walker confirmed, as Gordon gathered him and Coulson close to him. Within a second, blue energy surrounded them as they disappeared.

* * *

 _Farewell to the settin' sun | Goodbye just seems to come | For everything and everyone that I hold dear | Lord knows I've prayed and cried | Before I see the other side | I hope I find the answer and it's finally clear | Before it all just disappears_

* * *

Once they'd landed, Phil took a look around – shielding his eyes from the raging storm around them – before shouting out, over the storm. "Gordon, I think you may have actually succeeded, this time!" He shouted, pointing toward a foreign-looking spaceship.

"Your friend appears to be right!" Director Walker called out as they all hurried off toward the ship. As they approached, they soon saw the severity of the damage inflicted upon the smaller vessel. "The storm didn't do this." Carlisle concluded, as he ran his hands over the burn patterns.

"How can you tell?" Coulson inquired, curiously.

"These burns aren't from the lightning." Carlisle elaborated. "They're phaser burns."

Before Phil could question that assessment, faint screams could be heard coming from a nearby cave. Exchanging a brief glance, the three men all took off at a dead run, charging toward the direction the scream were coming from. When they arrived, Phil saw what appeared to be a tall man of native american descent with a broad, muscled stature cradling the lifeless form of a woman in his arms – clutching her tightly to his chest. Even among the storm, he could see the tears streaming down the man's face.

"Breathe! Damn it, breathe!" Chakotay panted as he thrust against Kathryn's chest – praying to whatever deity was listening that her heart would start beating, again. "Don't you die on me, Kathryn! Come on!" He growled. "BREATHE!" He cried out as he continued the chest compressions before leaning forward, trying to breathe life into her.

As they approached the scene, Phil mind snapped back to when he'd found Skye, slumped against a wall in a pool of her own blood. His heart went out to the man he saw attempting to revive the woman before him. And, it clench, tightly, in his chest as he listened to his desperate pleas.

"Listen to me, Kathryn!" Chakotay panted, resuming his chest compressions. "You've got to _BREATHE_!" He insisted, his heart clenching painfully in his chest as his attempts to save the owner of his heart appeared to be in pain. "Breathe! BREATHE!" He insisted, tears burning his eyes and flowing, freely, down his cheeks as he continued his compressions. "Come on! COME ON!" He growled. "Start breathing, damn it! Breathe!" He insisted, his hope and resolve waning. "Don't do this to me, Kathryn!" He pleaded, his voice thick with emotion and watery with the tears streaming down his face. "Come on, breathe!" He begged, desperately.

Watching the scene unfold before him Director Walker's heart clenched as he realized they'd been too late. As he watched the First Officer desperately tying to resuscitate his Captain, he knew in his gut that the Captain was already gone. The First Officer's attempts were all in vain.

"Don't die on me." Chakotay begged, helplessly, watching Kathryn's body jerking lifelessly with the force of his compressions. "Kathryn, listen to me. You have to breathe." He pleaded. "Start BREATHING!" He cried. "COME ON! COME _ON_!" He cried, collapsing helplessly to her side, breathing one last helpless breath into her lungs as he was forced to realize that the woman he loved above all else in the universe was dead as he gathered her into his arms – crying out all of his pain and anguish as he was consumed by the feeling of being completely and utterly lost without her presence in his life. "No, KATHRYN!" He sobbed, helplessly, cradling her against his chest. "You can't die." He sobbed, helplessly. "I need you. … Please … I love you."

As they approached the grief-stricken man, Phil knew the pain the man was going through. He'd nearly lost Skye once. Having looked the death of the woman he loved in the face, before, he could only imagine how much worse it had to have been for the strange man before him who was actually living the reality of losing the woman he loved.

Chakotay knew he should have been alarmed by the sudden feeling of a hand gripping his shoulder, gently. But, in that moment, he was actually hoping it was whoever had attacked the shuttle coming to kill him, so that he might join Kathryn in the afterlife. "I'm so sorry." He heard a gentle, supportive voice coming from his right side as he slowly looked up to see an average-looking middle-aged man in an out-dated suit looking at him with a softened facial expression. Chakotay didn't know the man, but, he could tell he sympathized with his loss. Looking in the man's piercing blue eyes – _So much like Kathryn's_ , he thought – he could see that the man had experienced grave losses of his own. "I can't imagine what you must be going through." The stranger offered before Director Walker spoke up.

"Commander Chakotay." Carlisle interjected. "I'm terribly sorry that we couldn't save Captain Janeway." He offered, gently. "But, we can bring her back." He offered, attempting to bring comfort to the distraught first officer.

"No!" The strange man on his right, countered, sharply. Surprisingly so, he thought, off-handedly. Looking between the two men, Chakotay could see them sharing an intense gaze. "You can't _possibly_ be considering T.A.H.I.T.I. protocol." He added, in disbelief.

"There's no other way-" Carlisle countered, only to be cut off by the former director.

"It's _INHUMANE_!" Phil growled.

"Will somebody **_please_** tell me what the _hell_ is going on, here?!" Chakotay growled, demandingly.

Turning his gaze toward Chakotay, Phil's features softened notably as he replied "Director Walker is talking about submitting Captain Janeway-Kathryn-" He corrected, before continuing on. "Submitting Kathryn to a series of procedures known, collectively, as T.A.H.I.T.I. protocol. I, myself, once endured this protocol-"

"So, it works?!" Chakotay interrupted, hopefully. "It can bring Kathryn back!"

"Yes." Phil conceded, holding up a hand to prevent any further interruptions. "However, the final procedure in T.A.H.I.T.I. protocol is a robotic assisted neuro-microsurgery which replaces Kathryn's memories of the protocol with false memories implanted surgically." He added, warningly, as he pulled a small tablet out of his jacket as he pulled up a video. "This is what the procedure looks like." He offered, holding out the tablet for Chakotay to see.

Looking at the proffered tablet, Chakotay watched in horror as the man holding the tablet out for him lay on an operating table screaming at the top of his lungs and pleading with the surgeons. "Let me die! Please! I'm begging you, just let me die! PLEASE! LET ME DIE!" The video closed out as the screams died away. Looking down into Kathryn's lifeless features, deep within his heart, Chakotay knew he could never subject Kathryn to such torturous lengths just to keep her in his life. The humane thing to do would be to just let her rest in peace.

"You're right, Mr. …" Chakotay replied, trailing off as he realized he didn't know this strange man's name.

"My name is Phil Coulson." Phil replied, pocketing the tablet, before looking back to Chakotay. "I'm a Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. from the twenty-first century." He offered, by way of explanation. "My friend, Gordon and I were stranded in the twenty-fouth century when his attempts to teleport us failed.

"They have teleportation in the twenty-first century?" Chakotay questioned, curiously. He wasn't aware that the twenty-first century was advanced far enough to have developed teleportation technology.

"In a way." Gordon replied, cryptically.

"Commander, please." Carlisle interjected, getting the conversation back on track. "Yes, Director Coulson was subjected to a more primitive and much harsher and unperfected outdated version of the T.A.H.I.T.I. protocol. And, while I regret that he was treated with such torment, newer procedures have been developed to make the protocol pain- _free_ for the patients. It's been tested and proven to be medically sound." He assured the first officer as he pulled out a table of his own. Extending the tablet for the commander to see, he played a video of his own.

Watching the video, Chakotay watched a young woman resting peacefully on the operating table while robots worked on her. After the surgery, the footage cut to her room in the sickbay where she continued to make a full recovery. _Well … This new version of the protocol certainly seems to be much more plausible. … Perhaps I could bring her back._ Chakotay thought to himself. Looking up to Carlisle, he asked "So, what do we do?"

"Gordon." Carlisle spoke, commanding the attention of the teleporter. "Do you think you could get us back to Earth so that Captain Janeway might receive the treatments she needs?" He asked, hopefully.

"Again, I can try." Gordon offered, lamely. He didn't want to get the grief-stricken man's hopes up. "But, my abilities are still randomized. I can't guarantee I'll get us there on the first try. I can't promise how many tries it _will_ take. And, I've never even tried to teleport this many people at once."

Looking at the men around him, Chakotay had made up his mind. "That's a chance I'm willing to take." He replied, determined.

"Well, then …" Gordon, offered, shrugging as he gestured for everyone to gather around him. Carlisle, Phil and Gordon all surrounded Chakotay who refused to relinquish his hold on Kathryn. "Here goes nothing." He added, as the ever-familiar blue energy engulfed the team.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**  
This is my first attempt at any of _Star Trek_ fanfiction. So, please, be kind. And this is sort of alternative take on Season 3, Episode 15, "Coda" which supposes that Kathryn actually did die in the crash and S.H.I.E.L.D. brings her back using a new and improved – more humane – version of the T.A.H.I.T.I. protocol. I hope you enjoy this.

~Skye Coulson


	2. I'm Never Gonna Find Another You

**Agents of the Delta Quadrant**

 **Disclaimer:  
** As always, I own nothing save for Director Carlisle Walker.

 **Rating:  
** T

 **Genre:  
** Romance/Angst

 **Pairings:  
** Coulsye  
JC (Kathryn Janeway/Chakotay)

 **Lyrics Used:  
** Orianthi "Another You"

* * *

I'm Never Gonna Find Another You

* * *

 _Shadows in this empty room | As I wake up to dreams of you | You brought back that feeling | Made my heart stop beating | I miss your first steps down the house | Our memories hanging on the walls | There's always something missing | Without you, here, I'm just too damn sick | Well, I'll do anything to get back anything of you_

 _Nothing comes close, nothing feels right | No one can fill the space inside but you | I'm doing my best to make it through | I'm trying to move on, get you off my mind | But, it just feels wrong leaving you behind | It's true, so, tell me what the hell I'm supposed to do | 'Cause I'm never gonna find another you_

* * *

Chakotay was forced to watch, helplessly, as Kathryn's limp, lifeless, form was unceremoniously ripped from his arms and placed on a stretcher before being rushed down a hallway until she disappeared in an operating room. "Is there anywhere I can observe the procedures?" He asked, desperate to know what was happening to the woman he loved.

"I'm sorry, that's classified." Carlisle replied, regretfully, as he extended a warm cup of coffee to the distraught commander who simply waved it off, dismissively.

"So much for operating with full transparency." Phil muttered, under his breath.

"Come again?" Chakotay replied, not fully understanding what Phil had said.

"Director Coulson is referring to an outdated and and inefficient protocol attempted in his century." Carlisle elaborated.

"It's not inefficient to have every member of your team on the same page." Coulson argued, before turning his attention to Chakotay. "I don't know how this _new_ S.H.I.E.L.D. works." He conceded. "But, in my time, S.H.I.E.L.D. had fallen and we had learned from our mistakes. We attempted to operate with full transparency so as to prevent another downfall to our nemesis, HYDRA." He added, carefully.

"And, it will fail." Carlisle countered, his voice demonstrating his frustration with the former S.H.I.E.L.D. director. "We have learned, since then, that some things require classification." He added, focusing on Chakotay. "We can't afford other agencies getting their hands on the technology being used to resurrect your captain." Sighing, he turned to pace in front of the three men with him. "Besides … It's quite a lengthy process. It's extremely delicate and complicated and will take several hours to complete." He elaborated, before turning back to Chakotay. "You can see her, then." He offered, his voice and facial features softening, notably. "She's in good hands, Commander. I can assure you of that."

"They're about half-way through." Director Walker announced, returning from checking on the progress of Captain Janeway's procedures.

"Thank you, Director." Chakotay offered, off-handedly.

* * *

"Well, it seems as though there's still nothing more for us to do but wait." Gordon observed, rising from his seat. "I think I'm gonna go try to find some coffee … Perhaps something to eat as well." He added, taking his leave.

"Go ahead, Gordon." Phil replied, watching the teleporter leave. "We'll be fine, here." He added, turning his attention to the man staring out the window across the room. "It must feel good to be back home, again." Phil offered, hoping to distract Chakotay from all that he'd endured in the death of Kathryn Janeway. As the commander turned to face him, Phil spoke again. "Director Walker filled me in. Told me that you and your crew have been stranded in the Delta Quadrant for quite some time."

"Too much time." Chakotay mused, quietly, with a soft sigh. "And, under any other circumstances, it _would_ feel good to be back home, again." He offered, sadly. "I just wish Kathryn hadn't had to _die_ to make that happen."

"She'll be okay." Phil offered, hoping to be somewhat comforting. "I'm living proof that the _old_ T.A.H.I.T.I. protocol works." He began. "And, if the old methods work – crude though they may have been – I can't see how the new and improved methods could possibly fail."

Their heart-to-heart was soon interrupted, however, by the loud crash of a door being kicked open. Instinctively, Phil and Carlisle drew their weapons and moved to stand in front of Chakotay, protectively.

"Well, well, well." Grant Ward drawled, arrogantly, as he strode into the small waiting room with his lover and partner in crime, Kara, by his side – both had weapons trained on the three men before them. "Director Coulson." He sneered, aiming his I.C.E.R. directly at Coulson. "Fancy seeing you here … in the twenty-fourth century."

"What do you want, Ward?!" Phil demanded. "And, how did you even get here?!"

"What? You thought you were the only one with Inhumans on your side?" Ward taunted. "Believe it or not, Coulson, not all Inhumans see S.H.I.E.L.D. the way you and Skye and Gordon seem to. And, did I forget to mention that _our_ Inhuman not only poses teleportation abilities but psychic ones, as well." He added. "Even led us directly to him … Helped us pin-point his exact location in both time and space." He added, gesturing toward Chakotay. "As for what I want … Well, that's easy." He continued, vaguely. "I want _him_." Ward finished, pointing at Chakotay with his I.C.E.R.

"Who are you?" Chakotay questioned. "What do you want with me?"

"My name is Grant Ward." Ward replied. "The rest is unimportant. All you need to know … is that you work for _me_ , now."

"I don't know who you think you are…" Chakotay replied, carefully, raising his hands in a surrendering fashion. "But, I can assure you … I don't work for you."

"Not yet." Ward conceded, casually. "But, you will." He added, malevolent smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "You see, Chakotay … Kara and I need your knowledge of the future. You're going to help us build bigger and better weapons – centuries ahead of our time – and help us take down S.H.I.E.L.D. once and for all. We want to … pick your brain, sota speak." With an evil twinkle in his eyes, Ward added "But, don't worry, Chakotay … Compliance will be rewarded."

In the blink of an eye, Ward fired a single shot – hitting his mark square in the center of Chakotay's chest – watching the man fall to the ground, unconscious. Firing one shot, from his own I.C.E.R., Phil narrowly missed Kara before being struck by return fire from Kara's I.C.E.R. pistol.

As he watched Phil fall to the ground, Carlisle noted Ward charging toward Chakotay's unconscious form. Charging the rogue invader, Carlisle struggled with Ward – both of their I.C.E.R. pistols falling to the floor in a loud clatter. He grunted as Ward struck his face with a hard right hook before he noticed his vision clouding as Kara stood over him.

"Pity." Kara spoke, staring down at Carlisle's beaten and bloodied form. "All that hard work and training all down the drain." She taunted the fallen S.H.I.E.L.D. director as Ward rose off of him. "It's almost as if it was all for nothing." She added, firing a single I.C.E.R. shot into his chest.

"Call Amun." Ward instructed – grunting as he hoisted Chakotay's unconscious form over his shoulder. "I got him." He grunted, under the added weight.

Nodding, Kara called out for their own teleporter. "Amun! We're ready for you!" She called out as a tall man with a broad muscled build and olive-toned tanned skin and jet black hair. Ward joined them with Chakotay slung over his shoulder as Amun wrapped his arms around his travelers – surrounding them in red light and energy – as they disappeared.

* * *

"Director Walker!" Gordon called out, returning from his search of food, shaking Carlisle awake. "Director, wake up!" He called, once more. "What happened?" He asked, as Phil and Carlisle groggily struggled to their feet.

"Where's Chakotay?" Coulson questioned, his voice thick and raspy after having just woken up.

"They've taken him." Carlisle observed when he noted that their friend from the Starship _Voyager_ was no longer present with them.

"Shit." Coulson swore, quietly.

"Who took him?" Gordon questioned, struggling to understand what had happened.

"Ward and Kara." Coulson replied, joining Carlisle as he regained his footing.

"'Ward and Kara'?" Gordon repeated, inquiringly. "What would they want with Chakotay?" He questioned. "And, how did they even _get_ here?"

"Looks like they've got one of your people working for them." Carlisle replied, looking to Gordon. "Said they've got a teleporter with psychic abilities who led them straight to Chakotay's location – in both time _and_ space." He elaborated.

"Damn." Gordon swore, quietly. "But, I still don't understand why they would even _want_ Chakotay to begin with?" He questioned, confused.

"Ward said something about wanting Chakotay to share his knowledge of the future to help them develop weapons that would help them take S.H.I.E.L.D. down once and for all." Coulson replied, recalling Ward's words from before.

Before they could go any further, one of the medical officers joined them in the waiting room. "Director Walker?" She greeted, focusing her attention on the current Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.

"Yes, Agent Carter." Carlisle greeted, expecting an update on the Captain's procedures.

"Captain Janeway is out of surgery." The young medical officer reported. "She's resting comfortably in the recovery bay. She did ask to see a … Commander Chakotay, I believe was what she said." Agent Carter replied, glancing over to Phil and Gordon. "Are either of you Commander Chakotay?" She questioned.

"No." Phil replied, sharing a regretful glance with Gordon. "Commander Chakotay's been taken hostage – abducted." He added. "If it's all right with you, Director Walker … I'd like to break the news to Captain Janeway. My team and I are somewhat self-taught experts in dealing with Grant Ward. We can handle him and I could probably explain his motives to Kathryn better than anybody else here."

"I'm inclined to agree." Carlisle conceded, nodding his consent. "You may go and see Captain Janeway." He added, gesturing for Phil to follow the medical officer. "Agent Carter, show Director Coulson the way." He concluded, directing the latter statement to the medical officer.

With a confused countenance, Agent Carter turned to Phil. "Right this way, Director." _They don't pay me enough to figure this stuff out._ She thought to herself as Phil followed her to Captain Janeway's recovery room.

"Captain?" Phil greeted, timidly, watching Captain Janeway's reaction.

"Who are you?" Kathryn demanded, struggling to sit up. She quickly swatted away Phil's attempts to help her. "Where is Chakotay?"

"Captain Janeway, my name is Phil Coulson." Phil offered, calmly, sitting on the edge of the bed next to Kathryn's. "I am the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. from the twenty-first century. My friend, Gordon and I were stranded, here, in your time, when Gordon attempted to teleport me…" Phil trailed off, deciding that perhaps Carlisle had been right. Maybe some things _should_ remain classified. "Well, he was attempting to teleport me away to see a friend. However, he was injured not too long prior and his previous injuries had interfered with his teleportation abilities and we were stranded, in your twenty-fourth century. The _current_ S.H.I.E.L.D. director, Director Walker, requested our assistance when yours and Commander Chakotay's shuttle crashed. Commander Chakotay had tried – and failed – to resuscitate you when we arrived." Phil began, informing the Captain of as many details as he possibly could of why he was there and just what had happened while she was dead. "You were dead, however, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s T.A.H.I.T.I. protocol brought you back."

"You still haven't answered my primary question." Kathryn countered, clearly agitated. " _Where_ is Commander Chakotay?!" She demanded.

Sighing heavily, Phil dropped all defenses. "I'm terribly sorry to have to tell you this, Captain." He began, regretfully.

"No." Kathryn countered, shakily. "No, he-he-he can't be." She rambled on. "No, Chakotay _has_ to be alive. … He just … _has_ to be."

"No!" Phil countered, wildly, shocked by Kathryn's leap to a conclusion. Though, once he thought about it, he realized her assumption made sense. "No, I mean … Yes, Commander Chakotay _is_ alive." He replied, visibly relaxing as he watched the Captain do the same. "However … He _has_ been taken." He added, regretfully.

"'Taken'?" Kathryn repeated, questioningly. "Taken, where?!"

"I'm afraid I can't answer that, at this moment." Phil sighed. "I wish I could. … However, I _can_ tell you who took him."

"Well, who was it?" Kathryn demanded, eagerly.

"His name is Grant Ward." Phil supplied. "He was working in cooperation with another former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent – a woman by the name of Agent Thirty-Three – also known as Kara." He elaborated. "They're both rogue S.H.I.E.L.D. agents working for HYDRA. They took Commander Chakotay because they said they wanted to 'pick his brain', as it were. They wanted to take him back to the twenty-first century so that they might use his knowledge of future techniques to create highly advanced weapons that my team and I won't be able to combat in the hopes that they can finally take S.H.I.E.L.D. down, once and for all."

Kathryn listened, intently to every word that Phil was telling her. "Chakotay would never do something like that." She countered.

"Of his own free will – I'm sure you'd be right." Phil conceded. Granted, he hadn't known the Commander for very long. However, from what he _had_ observed of the man, he'd be inclined to agree with the Captain's assessment. "However, HYDRA's very fond of brainwashing techniques that they've developed to make their agents 'comply', as they like to put it. Their whole mantra is 'Compliance will be rewarded'."

"Do you really believe they'll do that to Chakotay?" Kathryn questioned, feeling completely and utterly lost.

Sighing, Phil carefully reached out as he slowly took Kathryn's hand in his own as he stared directly into her eyes as he offered his firmest, sincerest, response. "Not if my team and I have anything to say about it." Patting her hand, supportively, Phil slowly retreated as he continued. "Gordon is going to attempt to get me back home so that my team and I can begin searching for Commander Chakotay."

"I'd like to go with you." Kathryn replied, slowly getting up from her bed. She didn't make it far, however, before Phil gently forced her to lay back down in her bed.

"I can appreciate that – if it were a member of my team, I'd feel the exact same way." Phil conceded. "But, you've just come back from the _dead_." He added, before a mildly playful smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth. "I _think_ that entitles you to your fair share of R&R."

"There's not gonna be any resting _or_ relaxing until I know that Chakotay is back and he is safe." Kathryn countered, vehemently.

"Ordinarily, I'd back you one hundred percent on that." Phil replied. "But, I've been through the T.A.H.I.T.I. protocol myself and you _need_ to rest."

"Sir?" Agent Carter interjected, carefully. "I believe I might have a compromise. … If Captain Janeway is amenable to it, that is." She corrected.

"I'm listening." Kathryn prompted, hanging on every word to come out of the medical officer's mouth.

"Well … What if Mr. Gordon were to teleport you _both_ back to the twenty-first century … If Captain Janeway were to agree to remain confined to your sick bay, I see no reason you couldn't keep her apprised of the status of the search for Commander Chakotay."

Phil appeared pensive for a moment as he considered the medical officer's suggestion. "Captain Janeway." He spoke, finally, turning to the Captain. "Would you be willing to remain confined to our sick bay?" He asked, seriously.

"Will you keep me up to date on the search for Chakotay?" Kathryn asked, clearly all business.

"As long as you remain in your bed until our medical officer clears you for duty." Phil assured her.

"Director Coulson…" Kathryn replied, and – just for a moment – Phil would have sworn he'd seen the faintest ghost of a smile playing across her face. "You've got yourself a deal."

Turning back to Agent Carter, Phil spoke. "Agent Carter. Get Gordon in here. … Tell him he's got two passengers. … And, he better hope his abilities are stabilizing."

"Yes, sir." Agent Carter replied, crisply, before turning to return to the waiting room to retrieve the teleporter.

* * *

 **Author's Note:  
** As always, I hope you've enjoyed this installment. Don't forget to drop me a review.

~Skye Coulson


	3. I'd Do Anything to Have You Close

**Agents of the Delta Quadrant**

 **Disclaimer:  
** Same as before.

 **Rating:  
** T

 **Genre:  
** Romance/Angst

 **Pairings:  
** Coulsye  
JC (Kathryn/Chakotay)

 **Lyrics Used:  
** Corbin Bleu "Close"  
Trapt "Headstrong"

 **Author's Note:  
** I wanted to address the anonymous guest review wanting me to "hurry up and get to the Coulsye" … I just want to forewarn you … Coulsye will be more in the background. This fic will primarily focus on Kathryn/Chakotay.

* * *

I'd Do Anything to Have You Close

* * *

 _I'd do anything to have you close | Even if I got to swim the ocean alone | It just ain't enough when you're on the phone | I'm coming to get you I got to have you close | Close, I got to have you | Close, I really need you | Close, baby I want you | Just got to have you close | Close, I got to have you | Close, I really need you | Close, baby I want you | Just got to have you close_

* * *

Kathryn looked up as she watched a young, Chinese-American woman enter the room where she'd been confined to bedrest, holding a bag. "Thought I'd bring you a little bedrest survival kit." The young woman joked, awkwardly. "Morse brought me one, when _I_ was couped up in here." She added, gently setting the bag down on the side of the bed. "I got some trail mix, in here, if you feel like eating healthy." She began, going through the contents of the bag. "Candy bars and potato chips, if you don't. … Bobbi only brought me candy bars, but, I thought you might like having a little more variety. I didn't know what flavors you'd like, though, so I brought you both of my favorites – honey barbecue and sour cream and onion." She elaborated, holding up the aforementioned items for the captain to see. Replacing the items in the bag, she continued onward. "I also brought you some gossip rags for a little light reading. There's some sci-fi novels in here, too, if that's more your thing." She added, finally looking back up.

"That's very thoughtful of you." Kathryn replied, smiling politely.

"Yeah, well … this place can get pretty boring when you're stuck in bed." The young woman replied, smirking knowingly. "I'm Skye, by the way." She added, quickly, by way of introduction.

"I'm Captain Kathryn Janeway." Kathryn replied, in turn, pausing a moment before she continued. "You may call me Kathryn." She added, with a soft smile.

"Nice to meet you." Skye smiled, nervously. "Director Coulson told us all about you – what happened to you and … Commander Chakotay – is that his name?" She asked, curiously.

"Yes, it is." Kathryn nodded. "Have you been able to make any progress in finding Chakotay?"

"I wish I could say 'yes'." Skye shrugged, helplessly. "I know what you're going through, though … If that helps." She offered, lamely. "I remember what it was like, for me, when Coulson was taken."

Kathryn appeared pensive for a moment as she replied "You and Director Coulson are close, aren't you?" She asked, though, she suspected she already knew the answer.

"Yeah." Skye replied, quietly. "Yeah, I mean … I was living out of the back on my van, on the streets, when Coulson found me. He brought me here … gave me a home … a place to belong … He gave me a purpose. S.H.I.E.L.D. was the only family I'd ever known for a _long_ time." She added, wistfully. "At least until I finally got to meet the parents that I'd been searching for, my whole life." She added, with a bitter laugh.

"What happened with them?" Kathryn questioned, curiously. "Your parents, I mean."

"Well, for starters, my dad – Cal – was a psychopathic serial killer." Skye replied, bluntly – startling Kathryn. "He said it was because he was so angry at S.H.I.E.L.D. for taking me away from him. I know what I was told about that night, but, after everything I've experienced, lately … I just don't know what to believe, anymore." Skye sighed, carefully perching herself on the side of Kathryn's bed after the captain had gestured for her to sit. "I also got to meet my mother, Jiaying. She was … nice and welcoming and nurturing and loving and … Well, she was everything I ever dreamt my mom would be if and when I ever got to meet her."

"You seem disappointed?" Kathryn observed, curiously.

"Yeah, well … I guess that's how you tend to feel when somebody you've waited your whole life to finally meet turns out not to be what they first presented themselves to bed." Skye muttered, bitterly, staring down at her hands. "She killed one of our senior Agents – a man named Gonzalez – and then stole his gun and shot herself, with it – trying to frame Gonzalez for trying to kill her. … She started the whole war between S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Inhumans–"

"The Inhumans?" Kathryn questioned. "In all our time in space, we never encountered a species by that name." Watching as Skye released a small chuckle, Kathryn asked "What's so funny?"

"I'm sorry … I'm just not used to the way you phrase some things." Skye replied, amused. "But, to answer your question, Jiaying and I are from a line of people that were originally born human but were genetically altered by an alien race – the Kree – with the intentions for the Kree to use us as weapons." Skye began, recalling what she could about the history of the Inhumans. "But, then, they decided that we were a mistake. They called us an 'abomination'." She added, a note of disgust in her voice that did not go unnoticed by Kathryn. "Kree warriors were sent to destroy us but … a few managed to survive."

"You and your mother among them?" Kathryn presumed.

"Yes." Skye replied, quietly. "Although, one Kree warrior did come for me but … Coulson fought like hell to protect me." She added, with a fond smile. "But, my emotions got outta control, in the process and when … well, when that happens … things … get a little … shakey." She added, searching for the right words.

"And, what do you mean by that?" Kathryn questioned, curiously.

"Well, all Inhumans have special abilities. Gordon teleports people … Some others can create electricity and … well, the list goes on and on." She added, dismissing the thought of trying to list every known ability possessed by the Inhumans. "I, myself … I can … sense the natural vibrations in everything around us – your bed, the ground, everything – and I can tap into them and even telepathically amplify them."

"Amazing." Kathryn observed.

"Well…" Skye chuckled, lightly, before her face fell again. "After Jiaying taught me how to control it." She added, sadly. "Before then, I was just a … a walking earthquake." She added. "Anytime my emotions got outta control, I'd set off the Richter Scale. … For a while, I thought I'd learned how to control it – stop them before they even started – but, I was sadly mistaken." Kathryn listened intently as Skye spoke. She was fascinated by the young woman's story. "I wasn't actually _stopping_ them. I was just … directing them internally. I was … rattling my own bones. I gave myself a total of seventy-five hairline fractures from my clavical all the way down the lengths of my arms, once." She finished, dropping her gaze to her hands in her lap so that Kathryn wouldn't see the tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

"Well…" Kathryn began, gently. "At least one good thing came from meeting your mother." She offered, optomistically.

"Oh yeah?" Skye replied, finally raising her gaze to meet Kathryn's – her eyes gleaming with unshed tears – her voice thick and watery. "And, what's that?"

"You've learned to control your abilities." Kathryn offered, warmly. "You've become something wonderful and amazing." She added, sincerely. "You should be proud of all that you've accomplished. And, you're still young, yet. Who knows what else you might accomplish in your life?!"

Skye released a small chuckle as she replied "Ya know … You sound a lot like Coulson." She observed.

"Really?" Kathryn questioned.

"Yeah." Skye smiled, fondly, once more. "From the very beginning he … he _valued_ me. He saw something in me that I never even saw in myself."

"You care very deeply for the Director, don't you?" Kathryn surmised. "You love him."

If Skye had been eating or drinking anything, she would have surely choked to death. "What-am I _that_ obvious?!" She sputtered.

Kathryn chuckled softly. "No. But, being a good captain means being able to read the people under your command. … Sometimes, it's hard to turn that off." She added, a slight note of amusement in her voice.

"Yeah, well … Just don't go spreading it around, huh?" Skye replied, embarassed. "The last thing I need is for Coulson to find out I've been secretly in love with him for … Hell, I don't even _know_ how long."

"Don't worry." Kathryn smiled, amused. "Your secret's safe with me." Sighing softly, she added "I know a thing or two about loving someone you could never have."

"Commander Chakotay?" Skye guessed.

"Am _I_ that obvious?" Kathryn asked, grinning slightly.

"Just a lucky guess." Skye assured the captain. "So, what … You think he's just not that into you?" She quipped, lightly.

"On the contrary. I know he cares for me, quite deeply, as well." Kathryn replied, wistfully.

"Thennnn … What's the problem?" Skye questioned, confused as to what was preventing Chakotay and Kathryn from being together. "You love him, he loves you. … I don't get it."

"It would be highly inappropriate for a Captain to pursue a romantic relationship with her first officer."

"So, what? The Federation gets to tell you how to feel? Who you can and can't care about?" Skye replied, thinking the whole thing utterly absurd.

"Not exactly." Kathryn conceded. "There are no official regulations against it." She trailed off, awkwardly. "But, it could – potentially – undermine our authority as a command team."

"Okay, I'm sorry, but, I gotta call bullshit." Skye replied, ineloquently.

"Excuse me?!" Kathryn replied, taken aback by Skye's brazen remark.

"Coulson told me that your team has been stranded together in the Delta Quadrant for _years_." Skye explained. "People can't live and work together in those tight confines for that long without … bonding … Thinking of one another as family."

"Well, yes, that is true." Kathryn replied, sensing where Skye was going with this.

"So, if you all consider each other family … Do you not all want each other to be happy?" Skye questioned.

"Well, yes, of course." Kathryn replied.

"Well, then, I can't help but think that your crew would want the same for you and Chakotay." Skye concluded. "Yes, I understand that a relationship between the two of you could – potentially – undermine your authority as a command team." The young Inhuman conceded. "But, it could also – potentially – give you everything any of us has ever wanted."

"And, what might that be?" Kathryn questioned, intrigued.

"Love." Skye responded. "All anybody ever wants is the opportunity to love and be loved in return. To have someone in their lives that … knows them – intimately. Someone that knows all of their deepest darkest secrets – has seen all the skeletons in their closet – and loves them in spite of it all. Or maybe even _because_ of it all." Sighing, Skye added "Take it from me, Kathryn … As a woman who's given her heart to the _wrong_ man, before … Don't waste your chance to give _yours_ to the _right_ one." She concluded, as she rose from the edge of the bed to take her leave.

Just before Skye passed through the doors, Kathryn called out to her. "Skye?"

Turning at the sound of her name, Skye replied "Yeah, Kathryn?"

"You might want to consider taking your _own_ advice." The Captain replied with a warm smile.

To that, Skye could only smile, gratefully, and nod her thanks. With nothing more to be said, she turned back around and resumed her previous route. _Maybe Kathryn was right …_ She thought to herself as she set off in search of the rest of her team.

* * *

 _Back off, I'll take you on \ Headstrong, to take on anyone | I know that you are wrong | Headstrong, we're headstrong | Back off, I'll take you on | Headstrong, to take on anyone | I know that you are wrong | And, this is not where you belong | I can't give everything away | I won't give everything away_

* * *

Chakotay found himself restrained to the chair he was sat in by thick metal cuffs around his wrists and ankles. He tried – in vain – to break free. His eyes were pulled open by strips of adhesive – preventing his ability to blink – as he was forced to stare straight ahead at a screen flashing blindingly bright images in the darkened room. The sight was hurting his eyes and he found his mental defenses weakening. He was barely even able to think straight. Yet, somewhere deep inside, he knew he had to keep fighting. He just wasn't so sure how much longer he could hold on. He was trying to focus on Kathryn and how it would feel to finally get to see her again. But, he'd been forced to stare at the screen for so long, he couldn't even remember what she looked like. By this point, the same four words started playing over and over in his head, on a loop. _Compliance will be rewarded._

Finally, the last of his mental defenses was gone. He couldn't even remember why he'd been fighting – or even what he'd been fighting against – to begin with. It all seemed so simple. Listen to orders and follow them. He trusted his compliance would be rewarded. He was beginning to like the sound of that. Soon, the door to the room finally opened.

"Well, hello there, Commander Chakotay!" Grant Ward greeted phacetiously. "May I call you Chakotay?" He asked, snidely. "After all, your former rank holds no meaning here. We have no need for ranks. All you need to know … is that I'm the boss … and, you work for me." He elaborated, as if it were all plain as day.

"Your wish is my command." Chakotay replied, his voice void of any emotion – simply monotone.

"Good." Ward surmised. "Chakotay … I believe this could be the beginning of something amazing."

* * *

 **Author's Note:  
** As always, I hope you've enjoyed this chapter. Please don't forget to leave a review!

~Skye Coulson


	4. Can You Love Me Even With My Dark Side?

**Agents of the Delta Quadrant**

 **Disclaimer:  
** As always, I own nothing.

 **Rating:  
** T

 **Genre:  
** Romance/Angst

 **Pairings:  
** Coulsye  
Kathryn/Chakotay

 **Lyrics Used:  
** Kelly Clarkson - "Dark Side"

* * *

Can You Love Me Even With My Dark Side?

* * *

 _Everybody's got a dark side | Do you love me | Can you love mine | No, it isn't picture perfect | But, we're worth it | You know that we're worth it | Will you love me | Even with my dark side_

 _Don't run away | Don't run away_

 _Don't run away | Promise you'll stay_

* * *

 _Four weeks later_

* * *

"I was told there was a development in the search for my first officer." Kathryn Janeway announced, joining Phil Coulson and his team in their briefing room. Looking around, she could tell that it was less than good news. _Just please … Don't let it be as bad as I'm fearing it is._ She thought to herself, silently, as Skye turned to her with a remorseful glance.

"I'm really sorry to have to be the one to tell you this…" Skye began, refretfully. "But, we found this footage of Chakotay…" She began, pulling up a crude video feed on their main monitor. "We pulled it off a woman's laptop webcam." She elaborated. "She was the latest in a long line of murders. We suspect…" She trailed off, unable to bear breaking the news to Kathryn that the man that she loved had been turned into a serial killer.

"You suspect _what_ , exactly, Skye?" Kathryn demanded, terrified that she already knew the answer.

"We suspect that Chakotay committed all the murders." Skye sighed, heavily. "The murders all fit the MO of the this one that we can definitively _prove_ Chakotay was responsible for. And, we only know that Chakotay killed her because she was fortunate enough to be videochatting with a friend, online, and her friend had the presence of mind to black out the screen while Chakotay was distracted with killing her friend." She elaborated.

"No." Kathryn denied, simply. "No, there's just simply no way that Chakotay would ever do such things." She argued, feebly, staring at the monitor in horror.

"Not of his own free will." Phil Coulson interjected. "However, HYDRA's brainwashing techniques can be horrifyingly effective." He offered. "They won't stop until you comply."

"What are you saying, Director Coulson?" Kathryn demanded, awestruck.

"I'm saying … That in HYDRA's hands … Chakotay is no longer Chakotay." Phil sighed, remorsefully.

"Can you help him?" Kathryn begged, hating how helpless she was feeling.

"We can." Phil offered, gently. "However, the process will be long and trying. … It won't be easy and – at times – it will seem impossible." He warned, sternly. "But, you must not give up." He added, hoping to shine whatever small light he could at the end of Kathryn's tunnel. "It won't be easy, but, we _can_ and we **_will_** break HYDRA's hold on him." He assured her, vehemently.

Speechless, Kathryn could only stare at the monitor before her as she watched Chakotay brutally stabbing the poor young woman over and over and over again – blood spraying in every direction. She'd never known her first officer could be so violent.

"You sure you're ready for this?" Skye questioned, passing Kathryn an I.C.E.R.

"Ready to get my first officer back?" Kathryn quipped. "You better believe it." After pausing another beat, she continued onward. "Ready to go toe-to-toe in hand-to-hand combat _against_ him?" She added. "Not on your life."

* * *

"Well, well, well." Grant Ward drawled, as he entered the room with Chakotay and Kara on either side of him. "Phil Coulson and his own little band of misfits. How cute?" He drawled, onward, tauntingly.

Weapons drawn, Coulson was the first to address Ward. "Let Chakotay go, Ward." The S.H.I.E.L.D. director demanded. "It doesn't have to be this way. Let Chakotay go and you can walk away." He reasoned, willing to let the former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent walk away upon the Commander's return.

"See, now, that's not gonna happen." Ward replied, smugly. "Chakotay's been the best damn thing to ever happen to my little rebel alliance." He added, brandishing his new weaponry. "You see … Chakotay's managed to develop these handy new phasers for us." He added. Without warning, he fired an unexpected shot – striking Gordon square in the chest.

"Gordon!" Skye shrieked, kneeling down at the Inhuman's side. Pressing two fingers to his neck, she couldn't speak. However, everyone else could feel the ground, beneath them, begin to shake, violently, with her rage. Suddenly, everything was still as all eyes were fixed on the young Inhuman as she rose to her feet – a murderous gleam in her eyes as she focused all of her energy into a powerful vibration, sending Ward, Chakotay and Kara flying backwards, across the room, into the walls.

Kathryn watched the display in sheer awe. The three adults were smashed into the wall with sickening, defeaning, _cracks_ as they all slumped down – bloodied and unconscious. "Chakotay!" She cried, racing to her fallen first officer's side, crouching down next to him as she checked his vitals – much the same as Skye had done for her friend, Gordon. "He's alive. Just knocked out." She reported, breathlessly, while May and Coulson checked on Ward and Kara.

"Which is more than I can say for him." Coulson reported, grimly satisfied with the outcome of Skye's attack. "He's dead." He surmised, rising back to his full height.

"So, is she." May reported, just as grimly.

"Good riddance to bad garbage, if you ask me." Skye replied, staring at her casualties in sick satisfaction. "We should probably get Chakotay back to base … Let Jemma have a look at him."

"That's a good idea." Coulson agreed, helping Kathryn to hoist Chakotay's unconscious form onto their shoulders as the rest of the team lead the way back out from whence they came.

* * *

"How is he?" Kathryn questioned, worriedly.

"His vitals are all stable." Jemma replied, warmly. "He will make a full recovery." She added, hoping to bring whatever measure of comfort she could to the worried Captain.

"Why is he being restrained?" Kathryn demanded, quietly, staring at the vibranium shackles binding Chakotay's wrists and ankles to the bed in which he lay.

"It's standard protocol." Jemma replied, gently. "Until such a time as we can ascertain his loyalties, he must be restrained – not only for _our_ safety, but, _his_ as well." She elaborated, carefully. "I'm hoping that will be sooner rather than later." She mused. "After hearing you speak of him, I'm quite looking forward to meeting him – the _real_ Chakotay, I mean."

"He's a wonderful man." Kathryn mused – mostly to herself – as she gently carded her fingers through Chakotay's hair. "I quite look forward to getting him back."

* * *

"Skye!" Kathryn called by way of greeting as she caught up to Skye in the common area – two glasses of scotch on the rocks in her hands.

"Oh, hi, Captain!" Skye greeted, looking up from her laptop.

"Skye, please." Kathryn smiled. "I told you … Call me Kathryn." She grinned, sliding down onto the couch alongside the young Inhuman.

"Right." Skye conceded, returning Kathryn's grin. "Sorry … Kathryn."

"That's better." Kathryn smiled, passing Skye a glass of scotch. "Can I buy you a drink?" She quipped.

"Anytime!" Skye replied, gratefully, accepting Kathryn's proffered drink. Taking a sip, she waited for the burn of the alcohol to fade from her throat before she spoke, once again. "So, Kathryn … What can I do ya for?" She quipped, chuckling in amusement at the baffled expression on Kathryn's face. "Sorry." She chuckled. "Just a bit of twenty-first century slang." She elaborated, watching the realization dawn on the Captain's face. "How can I help you, Captain Kathryn Janeway?"

"Well, I just had one small question for you … about the confrontation with Chakotay and his captors." Kathryn replied, pensively. "How, exactly, did you do that?"

There was no need to clarify as to what 'that' was. Skye knew what Kathryn meant. "It's a gift." Skye shrugged, lightly. Sighing, she finally dropped the humorous facade. "I'm an Inhuman – like I told you, before." She began, setting her drink down, next to her laptop, on the coffe table in front of her. "My gift is the ability to sense and telepathically amplify the natural vibrations all around me."

"Yes, I believe you told me this, already." Kathryn replied, listening to Skye's story, intently.

"Well, Jiaying taught me how to create my own telekinetic vibrations." Skye replied, staring off into the distance, grimly. "Hell, she taught me how to weaponize my gift." She added, recalling how Jiaying had manipulated so many. "Kinda scares me when I think about what she intended to do with me." She added, dropping her gaze to her hands which dangled lifelessly between her knees.

Resting her hand on the young Inhuman's shoulder, Kathryn could tell she was struggling with who and what she was. "Your mother may have lied and manipulated others…" She began, gently. "But, you were stronger than that. You rose above the lies and the manipulation and saw the truth. You even managed to save your friends. There's a hell of a lot to be said for that."

"Yeah, I know." Skye sighed, wistfully. "I just wish all those people didn't have to die in the process." She added, before shaking it all off. "Anyway, that's how I blew Ward, Chakotay and Kara away – quite literally."

"Well, hopefully, we can break Ward and Kara's hold on Chakotay and get him back, soon." Kathryn sighed, taking a sip of her drink. "We've got to get back to _Voyager_ as soon as possible."

Upon hearing those words, Skye stopped cold. "Yeah … about that …" She trailed off, unsure of how to break the news to Kathryn that – with Gordon dead and gone – they had no way of getting Chakotay and Kathryn back to their own time.

"What is it, Skye?" Kathryn questioned, feeling suddenly uneasy at the look on Skye's face.

Sighing heavily, Skye downed the rest of her drink like a shot – grimacing against the alcoholic burn – as she turned to face the Captain. "Gordon was the only teleporter we had at our disposal. He was also my ride to Afterlife – without him, I have no way of contacting the rest of the Inhumans to find another one."

"Bottom line?" Kathryn demanded, quietly, on bated breath.

"Bottom line is … We have no way of getting you and Chakotay back to your own time." Skye sighed, refretfully. "Fitz and Simmons are working on it, but … honestly, I'm not holding my breath…"

"You're saying we're trapped, here, in the twenty-first century?" Kathryn questioned, dumbfounded.

"Unless and until Fitzsimmons come up with something … Unfortunately." Skye sighed. "Kathryn, I'm so sorry. I know how much you wanna get back to your crew and your ship … I just wish I had a way to help you with that."

Sighing heavily, Kathryn understood that her predicament was no fault of Skye's. Downing the rest of her drink – much the same fashion as Skye had – she set the empty glass down on the coffee table as she draped her arm around Skye's shoulders – drawing her close to her side, supportively, as she spoke. "It's okay, Skye. … It wasn't your fault." She replied, understandingly. "Your friends are resourceful and extremely intelligent … I have every faith and confidence in their abilities."

"I know you're right, Kathryn." Skye sighed. "But, I just … I don't know if they'll be able to come up with anything and I have no idea how I could ever make it up to you, if they don't."

"Oh, Skye…" Kathryn cooed, quietly. "You have nothing to make up to me. Without you, I may never have even gotten Chakotay back, at all." Lightly gripping Skye's chin with her thumb and forefinger, Kathryn gently turned the young woman's head upward to meet her gaze. "It is _I_ who should be concerned with making it up to _you_."

"Skye!" Jemma called, greeting her friend and their visitor. "Kathryn!"

"Jemma?!" Skye replied, startled by the biochemist's sudden appearance. "What's going on?"

"I just came to inform the two you – Kathrn in particular – that Commander Chakotay is awake." Jemma replied, smiling slightly. "And, he'd like to see you, Kathryn."

* * *

 **Author's Note:  
** I realize I've deviated slightly from the season 2 finale. That's because I started writing this before the finale aired and there were so many things that would have to be changed for this to follow AoS that I've decided to continue this story as is as an AU. I hope you all enjoyed this little offering. Don't forget to drop me a review!

~Skye Coulson


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